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Halfums
Half human and half… something not quite human, these imaginatively named creatures have a strong link to the plant life around them. They are often able to hide in woods with little difficulty, and have used this ability to stay out of the human’s conflicts for generations. Originating from the dense forests of Panea, this race has managed to keep most of their customs secret from the prying eyes of the humans. No non-Halfum has managed to find one of their original settlements yet, or if they have, they haven’t returned. Halfums frequently go unnoticed, which can be both a hindrance and a blessing. They are so similar to humans that they are able to blend in easily, a trait frequently taken advantage of by rogues and thieves. A halfum will rarely use brute force in a fight, preferring to tactically target weak points either by dagger or arrow. They are frequently physi-cally weaker than other races, and those who are are fully aware of this, avoiding direct fights. Their society is based around large family groups, with each large family community being able to tend to all it needs in order to live. The young and old will usually stay with the community, being too young or too old to travel, and those content with a simpler life will forage, farm and care for the family. All other halfums take to the world to ex-plore, trade, and find new communities to join. Groups or families of Halfums are usually distinguishable by their tattoos, replicating various plants from their home. These are usually on the face, neck, arms or hands, and are not usually covered. A Halfum hiding their affiliations is very suspect, so less savoury characters will display family or old affiliation tattoos openly to avoid being questioned about their more current ones. Halfums are easily fascinated, and can often become fixated on concepts or tasks. They are generally determined and ambitious, and it can be very difficult to alter their mind when they decide on something. Despite their fascina-tion, they have a natural wariness and even dislike of races with unusual or brightly coloured skin, such as the Ykrietes, Kobold and Torlan. One infamous group started by Halfums is the Whisper Knives. A legal technicality, this guild of assassins has man-aged to negotiate its open existence with Panea, so long as several strict requirements are met. Many people do not agree with their presence being tolerated, and it is partially for that reason that membership is strictly secret. The halfums have many tales about forests uprooting and walking off, and paths changing so much that only the best rangers can find their way from one place to the next. It is said that the trees know who is pure of heart and who means to cause harm, and will constantly move to trap evildoers in a maze of foliage until they die. More positive tales include small guiding lights to guide the way for good travellers, as what the forest deems to be evil could be very different to what the halfums think. These lights, however helpful, are very fickle, and are quick to anger if wronged, so should be treated with respect if a traveller does ever find one.